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The Inter Faith Network for the UK2004-2005 A N N UA L R E V I E W
The Inter Faith Network for the UKThe Inter Faith Network was founded in 1987 to promote good relations between people of differentfaiths in this country and to “advance public knowledge and mutual understanding of the teachings,traditions and practices of the different faith communities in Britain, including an awareness both oftheir distinctive features and of their common ground”.
The Network’s 111 member bodies include representative bodies of the Baha'i, Buddhist, Christian,Hindu, Jain, Jewish, Muslim, Sikh and Zoroastrian faiths; national and local inter faith organisations;and educational and academic bodies specialising in inter faith relations. With them it works to promote understanding and respect between the faith communities in the UK. It does this through:
● Assisting enquirers who want to know more about a particular aspect of inter faith relations in thiscountry
● Publishing resources to help people working to promote good inter faith relations● Holding meetings and conferences where social and religious questions of concern to the different
faith communities can be examined together ● Fostering inter faith co-operation on social issues● Working with the media to ensure good coverage of inter faith issues
Published 2005, Inter Faith Network for the UKISBN: 1-90290-620-9© Inter Faith Network for the UK
The Inter Faith Network for the UK8A Lower Grosvenor PlaceLondon SW1W 0EN Tel: 020 7931 7766Fax: 020 7931 7722Email: [email protected]: www.interfaith.org.uk
The Network is a registered charity No. 1068934 anda company limited by guarantee No. 3443823 registered in England Photographs in this review may not be reproduced without prior written permission.Unless otherwise stated all photographs taken by Network staff.
Designed and printed by Calverts 020 7739 1474.Printed on Revive Silk 75% post consumer waste and totally chlorine free
The Inter Faith Network for the UK
2004-2005 ANNUAL REVIEW
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A message from the Network’s Co-Chairs
The coverage of this Annual Review has been extended to cover the period of the bombings in London inJuly and events in their immediate wake.These, together with a number of other developments across thelast year, have prompted profound reflection on issues of identity, belonging, and shared citizenship.Theneed is abundantly clear for a deepening dialogue as we work together to build the kind of Britain in whichwe would all wish to live.The Network has an important role to play in encouraging and facilitating thisdebate and in the coming year it will be undertaking a wide ranging project on the theme of ‘Faith andCitizenship’ as part of its ongoing Faith and Public Life programme.
During 2004-05 the Inter Faith Network’s work has had a particularly strong focus on providingresources to help the increasing number of people engaged in local inter faith initiatives. We aredelighted that a new, expanded edition of The Local Inter Faith Guide has been produced, together with apartner ‘local inter faith zone’ for the Network’s website.This, together with the 2005 edition of InterFaith Organisations in the UK:A Directory, puts more information at the finger tips of those working for goodinter faith relations at grass roots level across the UK.
The year has also been one with a special focus on young people and inter faith relations.TheNetwork’s very successful national meeting in Coventry in June brought together member bodies and young people of many different faiths to look at this topic. We are developing a wide pattern oflinks both with youth organisations and individual young people who are interested in this vitallyimportant area.
Last year we referred to growing concern about the Network’s precarious financial position.We are verypleased to report that during the last year there has been a significant improvement in this, with additionalfunding from the Home Office now pledged until spring 2007.The Network will still need the muchappreciated funding which is received from its member faith communities and from other donors,including both Trusts and individuals. But we can now plan ahead for the coming two years with greater confidence.
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Rt Rev Dr Tom Butler Mr Jagjiwan Singh
We offer our warm thanks to the staff of the Network, who have, as usual, worked with commitmentand dedication during what has been a difficult period, particularly because the Network office hasbeen short staffed for some months. With the improved funding position we can now hope to add toour staff resources for the tasks which lie ahead.
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Focus on inter faith
organisations
The Inter Faith Network makes availableinformation about the work of inter faithorganisations so they can learn from eachother’s projects and so that more people canbecome involved in their work. It does thisthrough publications, meetings and direct advice and support.
Information on inter faith organisations
Last year one of the Network’s main projects wasthe compilation of Inter Faith Organisations in the UK:A Directory. As Britain’s religious diversity grows,so too does the number of inter faithorganisations working at local, regional, nationaland UK level to promote good inter faithrelations.The directory contains contact detailsfor, and information about, their work.
The first edition of thedirectory waspublished in thesummer of 2004 anddemand was so highthat there was a needto reprint in January2005. It was decidedto produce an updatedsecond edition for thispurpose.This made it
possible to include some new entries and also toupdate contact details for some existing groups.The intention is to revise the directory annuallyin future.The next edition is scheduled forpublication in January 2006.
Local inter faith councils, forums and groups arevery important contributors to developingrespect, understanding and social cooperation incities, towns and also many rural areas aroundthe UK.They are the fastest growing category ofinter faith organisation.There are now over 180compared with under 80 at the start of 2000.
Linked to the directory, the Network has beendeveloping new web-based resources to helplocal organisations. Local inter faith bodies andindependent bilateral and trilateral dialoguegroups are now listed on its site with contactemail addresses for those which are willing toprovide this. The site explains that, where noemail address is given, the body prefers to be
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A local inter faith meeting at Leicester Council of Faiths’ Centre
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contacted by telephone or mail and the InterFaith Network office can supply details. TheNetwork’s website also provides information onwhere local branches of the Council of Christians
and Jews and groups of three Faiths Forum areto be found and contact details are given forfinding out more about them. Regional multifaith bodies are also listed on the site.
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The regional/local list at www.interfaith.org.uk
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Network hosts meeting for national
inter faith organisations
For the first time, a meeting was held this summerfocusing on the work of the UK and nationalumbrella and linking bodies: the Inter FaithNetwork itself, the Scottish Inter Faith Council(SIFC), the Northern Ireland Inter Faith Forumand the Inter Faith Council for Wales (IFCW).
The meeting was held at St Mungo’s Museum,Glasgow on 21 June. It was arranged by theNetwork, hosted by SIFC and chaired by SIFC’sConvenor, Dianna Wolfson.Topics of discussionincluded: how information can best be sharedbetween the different national bodies and the UKNetwork so as to learn from each other’sexperiences; involving faith communities effectively; how to make bodies ‘representative’
of the faiths; working with Government andother agencies; funding and staffing questions;and work on diversity training and equalopportunities. There were reports on the recentwork of all the bodies represented, as well as achance to hear about how they came into beingand the ways in which they work.
This Autumn there will be a more generalmeeting for national inter faith organisations in membership of the Network to share news of their activities and to discuss issues ofcommon concern.
Meeting on regional faith forums
There are now regional faith forums in a numberof the English Regions. A meeting was held on29 November by the Inner Cities ReligiousCouncil of the Office of the Deputy PrimeMinister, in partnership with the Home Officeand the Inter Faith Network, to enableparticipants from different regional inter faithstructures in England to reflect on their roles and share experiences. It also enabled Governmentdepartments and Government Offices in theRegions to catch up with recent developments in this field.
Participants at the St Mungo’s meeting
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The Local Inter Faith Guide
This summer, the Network worked with itsmember bodies to produce a revised andexpanded second edition of The Local Inter FaithGuide: Faith Community Cooperation in Action. It waspublished in association with the Inner CitiesReligious Council of the Office of the DeputyPrime Minister, as was the first edition in 1999.
The ODPM made a grant towards the cost of theproject and support was also received from theChurch Urban Fund through their small grantsscheme.The Home Office provided a project grantto enable free copies to be sent to all local interfaith bodies.The Network is grateful to thesesupporters and also to member bodies andtrustees who commented on the text in draft andprovided numerous case studies to illustrate thevarious topics the guide covers.
The Local Inter Faith Guide includes advice andinformation on:● types of local inter faith initiatives● getting involved in local inter faith activity● starting a new initiative ● developing effective inter faith initiatives –
ideas for activities and information on the nuts and bolts of running a body, fromconstitutions to membership to premises and funding
● working with local authorities, Local StrategicPartnerships and regional structures
● keeping local initiatives going successfully● making the work known through the media.
As well as being published in hard copy,the new edition will be available on-line.A complementary local inter faith ‘zone’ on theNetwork’s website will offer even more goodpractice examples and practical resources.
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Some of the good practice examples in the
new Local Inter Faith Guide
Sending speakers to schools
Tower Hamlets Inter Faith Forum (London) hasbeen working in partnership with secondaryschools and the the local Standing AdvisoryCouncil on Religious Education to develop a modelto support religious education and communitycohesion by encouraging faith leaders to visitschools.Three schools are piloting the project. Aworkshop took place led by the Head of RE atMulberry School to look at how visits would bestructured and to encourage faith leaders to bevolunteers for the pilot.The idea is that volunteerswill visit the classroom in pairs, as part of a lessonplanned by the class teacher.They will be able togive faith perspectives and will also be role modelsshowing respect and understanding acrossreligions. Tower Hamlets Inter Faith Forum
Events for young people
In 2005, Birmingham Council of Faiths held a youth event, ‘Living Between Cultures’, inpartnership with Birmingham Youth Service.This was described as a youth forum and broughttogether young people of various faiths – recruitedby both BCF and BYS – for an evening ofdiscussion in Birmingham City Council House.Young participants talked about some of thepressures they experience in living in a secularculture and following a religious tradition. As aresult of the event, there are plans to try and set up
a youth inter faith group run by BYS with anannual contact with BCF. Birmingham Council of Faiths
Working with local authorities
Southampton Council of Faiths (SCOF) grew out of the Southampton Inter Faith Link and has developed alongside this more informal body.SCOF came into being to address the growingneed for faith representation in the city. It has built a strong relationship with the CityCouncil, engaging with it on areas such ascommunity cohesion and community tension andon specific issues such as appropriate burialarrangements for Muslims. Since 2003, it hasprovided the Mayor with ‘faith advisers’ from eachof the seven faiths it links. It is a source of faith representation at events such as theRemembrance Sunday service and the marking of the 60th anniversary of VE and VJ days whichare organised by the Mayor’s Office for the CityCouncil. Southampton Council of Faiths
Working with RECs and other bodies
‘Interfaith Kirklees’ was launched in 2005.Theproject is overseen by Kirklees Racial EqualityCouncil, with project partners Kirklees SACRE,North Kirklees Interfaith Council, HuddersfieldInterfaith Council, faith communities acrossKirklees, Kirklees Metropolitan Council and theGovernment Office for Yorkshire and Humber. Itinvolves the development of seven ‘faith centres’where school children actively engage with thefaith of the community at that place of worship…
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At each centre, students find artefacts, displays andon-line facilities.Trained guides from the faithcommunity are there to welcome pupils andsupport them through an interactive experienceusing packages designed by practising teachers andother professionals within the community.Theproject is not just for students – the centres areplaces for Kirklees residents to find out more aboutthe faith of their neighbours. Interfaith Kirklees project
Providing advice and assistance to public bodies
Having been involved for some time in thecommunity involvement side of ProbationerTraining, we have become close partners withSuffolk Constabulary and are helping to developthe inter faith/multicultural dimension of policetraining at all levels.We serve on the PoliceDiversity Programme Board and are a first port ofcall for support and advice in emergencies andvarious matters connected to community safetyand cohesion.We now receive some funding fromthe police to support our work with Muslims.Suffolk Inter-Faith Resource
Working to enable both multi faith input to civic
life and development of inter faith understanding
Glasgow Forum of Faiths brings together civic authorities and leaders of various faithcommunities:● To work for the good of Glasgow ● To promote mutual understanding of the
teachings, traditions and practices of thedifferent faith communities in the Glasgow
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area, including an awareness of their common ground and a respect for theirdistinctive features
● To recognise the problems experienced in the practice of any faith within the localcommunity and to work together for their solution
● To work for harmony and peaceful coexistenceand to promote dialogue and friendshipbetween people of different faiths
● To oppose prejudice wherever it exists in the local community
● To work with faith groups and other inter faithorganisations for shared religious values withincivic society.
Glasgow Forum of Faiths
Work on events such as Holocaust Memorial Day
Members of all faiths and cultures came togetherto remember the victims of the Holocaust and ofoppression and torture across the world at aceremony on the steps of Blackburn Town Hall on King William Street in the town centre.This was arranged by Blackburn with Darwen InterfaithCouncil, whose chair led the ceremony, inpartnership with the Borough Council.TheMinister from the Higher Crumsall and HigherBroughton Synagogue in Salford gave the mainaddress. Following the Mayor’s closing address, thefaith representatives lit candles at a short ceremonyas a sign of peace, unity and hope for the future.Blackburn with Darwen Interfaith Council
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Connecting for the future:
young people and inter
faith relations in Britain
As the UK becomes increasingly religiouslydiverse, it is ever more important for youngpeople to become involved in inter faith projectsand initiatives and to build bridges of friendshipand understanding.
Last year, the Inter Faith Network publishedConnect: Different Faiths Shared Values, in associationwith TimeBank and the National Youth Agency.This is an inter faith action guide for youngpeople aged 16-25. It includes many ideas forprojects which can be started and run by youngpeople; guidelines for dialogue; and a ‘SharedValues’ section setting out the ‘Golden Rule’as this is expressed in different faith traditions.The guide also includes a resources section.A webpage on the Network’s site complements the guide (www.interfaith.org.uk/connect).
During 2004-05, the guide was ordered in bulkby many organisations around the country, fromfaith community bodies to local authorities.A project grant from the Home Office enabledadditional copies to be sent free of charge tolocal inter faith organisations as part of work
to increase the involvement of young people inlocal inter faith activity.This grant also enabled a short survey of the current pattern ofinvolvement and of groups’ views on some of the challenges in carrying out youth-focusedlocal inter faith work as well as their ideas fordeveloping this.
Copies of Connect are also being distributed withthe new resource book published this year by theNational Youth Agency, A Sense of Respect:Inter Faith Activities for Groups of Young People, whichwill be used by many youth organisations.
Connect can be downloaded free from the
Network’s web site: www.interfaith.org.uk.
Single copies are available free of charge from
the Network office by sending an A5 sized
addressed envelope with 35 pence postage.
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Network’s national meeting focuses on
young people and inter faith relations
Because of the growing significance of inter faithwork involving young people, the Inter FaithNetwork decided to focus its 2005 nationalmeeting on the theme ‘Connecting for the Future:Young People and Inter Faith Relations in Britain.’
In the last few years, an increasing number ofinter faith youth projects have been taking place in many parts of the UK.The meeting, which took place in Coventry on 27 June at the CoventryTechno Centre, was a chance to reflect on thechallenges of this vital area of work and to hearfrom, and talk with, some of the UK’s youngercontributors to building good inter faith relations.
Gaurav Prinja, Hindu participant in the GoldenJubilee Youth Forum and advisory board memberfor the Connect guide, offered opening reflectionson the vital importance of young people who areactive and involved members of the distinct faithcommunities engaging in work to promote interfaith understanding and cooperation. Dr HarrietCrabtree, Deputy Director of the Network, gave
an opening taster of therange of different kinds ofyouth inter activitieshappening in the UK and SueHoulton of the NationalYouth Agency discussed howfaith and inter faith issuesfitted into the NYA’s work.
Jagtar Singh, Sikh member of the Scottish InterFaith Youth Council, and Dr Maureen Sier of theScottish Inter Faith Council told the story of thesecond Scottish inter faith youth conference,which was held in Glasgow in November andattended by over 150 young people from all overScotland. During a workshop later in the day, SIFCYouth Council colleagues, Haroon and FarihaAhmed shared their experiences of taking part inthe conference.
Rebecca Niknam of theMaimonides Foundation gave an insight into how the Foundation helps developgood relations betweenJewish and Muslim youngpeople through football and art, as well as moretraditional modes of dialogue.
Sofia Maskin from theMuslim tradition andLeicester participant RachaelGilbert from the CatholicChristian tradition talkedabout their involvement inthe Intercultural LeadershipSchool and the impact takingpart has had on their lives.
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Sue Houlton
Rebecca Niknam
Sofia Maskin
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Graham Langtree, RE Adviser at the Qualificationsand Curriculum Authority, looked at thecontribution which RE can make to promotingunderstanding and respect for different faithsand beliefs. He explained how the first non-statutory National Framework for RE in England,recently published by the QCA, flags up theimportance of pupils studying not just differentreligions but also how people of different faithsand beliefs relate to each other.
In a closing panel, reflectionson the way forward wereoffered by Preet Majithia,President, CambridgeUniversity Hindu CulturalSociety and member ofLeicester Youth Inter FaithGroup; Rowena Loverance,Commission for Inter FaithRelations of ChurchesTogether in Britain andIreland and member of theReligious Society of Friends;Rauf Bashir, Building BridgesProject and Nelson Muslimcommunity; and RosalindPreston,Vice-Chair, InterFaith Network.
The workshops
Workshop topics included: youth inter faithforums and conferences; inter faith dialogueacross the generations; youth organisations and inter faith activity; developing inter faithunderstanding and cooperation on campus;educating for inter faith awareness; and Europe,the Commonwealth, the world (the widerpicture for youth inter faith work).
● Dr Sarah Smalley and youth contributors Lisa Elliott, Raihanna Hirji and Rebecca Owendiscussed the experience of involvement insuccessful SACRE youth faith forums inCambridgeshire and Peterborough.
● Malcolm Stonestreet, Chief Executive of UnitedReligions Initiative (UK), described its SpiritualElders and Emerging Visionaries (SEEV)programme which brings older members andyoung people of faith traditions together totalk, and Musarrat Tariq, Clare North and JohnMurray talked about the SEEV event runrecently by Nottingham Inter Faith Council.
● Maxine Green, consultant to the National YouthAgency and co-author with Carmel Heaney ofthe recently published NYA book, A Sense ofRespect: Inter Faith Activities for Groups of Young People,discussed this new resource.
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Preet Majithia
Rauf Bashir
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● Mark Wagthorn, Scout Association Programmeand Development Adviser, Faiths, Beliefs andBME communities and Daljit Singh, Sikhrepresentative on the Scout Association Faithsand Beliefs Team and member Minority SupportTeam and Group Scout Leader, 13th Southall,discussed Scouting and inter faith activity.
● Louise Mitchell,Youth Officer of the Councilof Christians and Jews, talked about CCJ’swork on campus and Pritesh Karia, studentmember of Warwick Inter-ReligiousRoundtable for Dialogue discussed theRoundtable’s role and activities.
● Becky Hatch and Imogen Gregg from theDiversity and Dialogue Project talked about its work to get young people of differentfaiths to come together and find out aboutglobal issues and work together constructivelyfor a better world.
● Rauf Bashir, Project Manager, Building Bridges Pendle Community Inter FaithProject, described the Project’s work withlocal schools. Ramona Kauth, Rev Jo Masonand Yvonne Stollard described the LadywoodInterfaith Education Project, Birminghamjointly run by volunteers from different faithcommunities, which brings primary schoolstudents to visit the local places of worship.
● Susanna Darch, of the Royal CommonwealthSociety talked about the “Youth CHOGM”project, together with Clare Linton andNiamh Quille, youth presenters from therecent Coventry Youth CHOGM.
● Preet Majithia and J R (Adseina) Alli from the multi faith youth team who went withMinorities of Europe to the Council for aParliament of World Religions in Barcelonalast year spoke of their experiences there.
A strong team of volunteer facilitators and notetakers and very good support from the conferenceteam helped ensure a very successful andworthwhile day. A full report on the day will beavailable in the Autumn from the Network office.
The Network was grateful to the Home Officefor part support of the event and the productionof the report through a project grant.
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Sarah Thorley and Henny Rolan
Participants enjoying a light hearted momentin Graham Langtree’s presentation
Revd Otieno-Ndale and Chas Raws
Ven Tawalama Bandula and other audience members
Animated discussion over tea
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Glasgow youth participants Haroon and Fariha Ahmed and Jagtar Singh on their way down to the Coventry meetingP
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Gaurav Prinja and Maureen Sier Imam Dr Sajid, Ajit Singh and Dr Natubhai Shah and fellow participants
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Inter faith issues in
Religious Education and
Citizenship Education
A new national non-statutory framework forReligious Education in England was published bythe Qualifications and Curriculum Authority inAutumn 2004. It contains a number of referencesto the importance of dealing with inter faithissues in RE and underlines the contributionwhich RE can make to the promotion of aninclusive society and mutual respect andunderstanding between people of different faithsand beliefs. A Steering Group and a WritingGroup had worked across the preceding year tohelp prepare a draft of the new frameworkdocument.These groups included representativesof ‘faith and belief communities’ andprofessional associations for Religious Education,as well as representatives of the Qualificationsand Curriculum Authority and the Departmentfor Education and Skills. The Network’s Directorserved as a member of the Steering Group.TheNetwork has long advocated the study of interfaith issues in RE and this was the theme of aseminar it organised in 2001 in association withthe National Association of SACREs.
The framework is already having an impact. Thisyear a number of the Network’s enquiries havebeen from RE specialists working on texts for
covering inter faith issues in the context ofteaching within the new framework.The Connect guide (see page 10) and the Network’scode, Building Good Relations with People of DifferentFaiths and Beliefs, are resources which thesepublications will be mentioning.
The handling of inter faith issues within therelatively new discipline of Citizenship Educationis also beginning to attract increased attention.TheNetwork has recently started a new project ‘Faithand Citizenship’.This will look at a number ofaspects of how citizenship is seen by the differentfaiths and will also look at the resources whichcurrently exist for looking at this topic withinCitizenship Education.
Responding to the London
bombings and events in
their wake
On Thursday 7 July suicide bombers struck threetube trains and a bus in central London, killing56 people and injuring 700. Four further bombswere taken onto London’s transport on 21 Julybut no one was injured as the devices failed toexplode. Condemnation of the bombings camefrom all quarters, including leaders of the UK’sfaith communities.
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Following the bombings, Prime Minister TonyBlair and the leaders of the Conservative andLiberal Democrat parties, Michael Howard andCharles Kennedy, met with Muslim leaders atDowning Street to discuss the response to theseand, more generally, tackling extremism and thepractical steps which can be taken.
Home Secretary Charles Clarke held two meetingswith religious leaders to reassure them of theGovernment’s commitment to allaying any fearsfelt by the faith communities and encouragingthem to work together in the aftermath of thetragedy. In the second meeting, Mr Clarke andHome Office Ministers Hazel Blears and PaulGoggins discussed with those present how toprevent young people being drawn into extremism.It was agreed, following this meeting, to set up a number of working groups, led by communitymembers, to focus on particular topics.Theseworking groups, supported by the Home Office,drew up proposals for discussion at a follow upmeeting in late September. Hazel Blears and PaulGoggins also held a number of meetings acrossthe country to meet members of the Muslimcommunity and others in different areas.TheNetwork office was represented at the London one.
The Network office and a number of its trusteeshave kept closely in touch with these developments.However, the Network’s principal initial concernhas been with the impact of the bombings and
subsequent events on inter faith relations aroundthe country. Although the impact was not assevere as some feared, following the bombingsthere were reports of a number of attacks onplaces of worship and attacks on, and verbalabuse of, individuals. The Metropolitan policerecorded 269 religious hate crimes in the threeweeks after 7 July compared with 40 in the same period of 2004.
Immediately after the bombings the Commissionfor Racial Equality, through its Safe CommunitiesInitiative, set up an ‘observatory’ to monitor anypossible community tensions that might arise as a result of them.The Network wrote to itsmember bodies to ask them to report incidentsto the CRE to help this process.
On 8 July, the Network issued a document,Looking After One Another: The Safety and Security of OurFaith Communities. This gives practical guidelinesfor faith communities to respond jointly to suchproblems as attacks on their places of worshipand encourages building strong and effectiveinter faith links at local level. The document wassent to all Network member bodies and wentearly the following week, with a covering pressrelease, to local authority officers withresponsibility for faith and inter faith issues;Race Equality Councils; and key faith communitycontacts. It was subsequently circulated morewidely by these contacts.
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Looking After One Another had been under developmentsince last year in consultation with the Commissionfor Racial Equality, the Association of Chief PoliceOfficers, the Chief Fire Officers’ Association aswell as Network member bodies.The CrownProsecution Service advised separately on aspectsof the text.The document was finalised rapidlygiven the possible repercussions for communityrelations of the terrorist attacks in London.
The preparation of guidelines of this kind was originally suggested at a meeting ofrepresentatives of faith communities and otherorganisations convened some time ago by theArchbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams.
To download Looking After One Another: TheSafety and Security of Our Faith Communitiesgo to www.interfaith.org.uk
The summer issue of the Network’s newslettercarried extensive coverage of the many ways inwhich, following the bombings, people ofdifferent faiths and backgrounds around thecountry came together to remember the dead,pray for the injured and commit themselves tomaintaining and strengthening communityrelations.These ranged from vigils and meetingslinked to the two minute silence on 14 July,observed across the UK and in many parts ofEurope to individual events held by groups atother times. In Oldham, for example, ‘StandingTogether’, an event organised by the Council andOldham Inter Faith Forum, brought the
communities there together in Alexandra Park on 22 July to remember the victims of theLondon bombings; to show support for theemergency services; and to commit themselvesto work together, across the communities ofOldham, to build respect and understanding andovercome the divisions and hatred which lead tosuch atrocities.
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Vigil in Trafalgar Square
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…These attacks strengthen our determination tolive together in peace, and to grow together inmutual understanding.This crime must inspire usto work unceasingly together in pursuit of peace,justice and respect for difference.Churches Together in Britain and Ireland and the
Muslim Council of Britain
Britain is a good example of a multiculturalsociety where all faiths have been living togetherpeacefully. It is now more important than ever toensure that we do not succumb to terrorism byallowing ourselves to become divided.Hindu Forum of Britain
…The scriptures and teachings of all our faiths– Baha’i, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jewish,Muslim and Sikh – denounce the use of all indiscriminate violence.To justify suchactions in the name of any religion is totallycontrary to our values and practice… Religious Leaders of Scotland
We are united in deploring the use of murderousviolence to achieve political or religious ends.Weare most strongly distressed when perpetrators ofviolence claim they are serving God in this way.Such actions are no part of an honest observanceof any of our faiths…Merseyside Council of Faiths
As the leaders of tomorrow we find hope in theresilience and unity exemplified by Londoners.We will not be defeated in our quest to maintainLondon as a beacon of freedom, diversity andtolerance.We shall continue in our efforts toeradicate terrorism, racism and war – througheducation and understanding; for only throughthese methods can we truly claim to have mutualunderstanding and respect for one another…National Union of Students; Federation of Student Islamic
Societies; British Organisation of Sikh Students National
Hindu Students Forum; and the Union of Jewish Students
…We praise the prompt actions of the nationalpolice in searching for the truth, and, at a locallevel, the high level of consultation that we havereceived from local police leaders.We pledge our full support to them in ensuring communityharmony in these coming days when all need to remain calm and focused in maintainingLeicester’s reputation for good relations.As after9/11, we affirm our declaration that faithleaders will consider any attack or act ofvandalism against any religious building orindividual connected with that community, as anattack on all of us.Leicester Council of Faiths
Excerpts from some of the responses to thebombings on 7 July
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Network Officers’ Reflection
At the July meeting of the Chairs and Vice-Chairsof the Inter Faith Network, Rt Revd Tom Butlerand Jagjiwan Singh (Co-Chairs) and Dr ManazirAhsan, Hon Barnabas Leith, Neville Nagler andDr Narayan Rao (Vice-Chairs) offered thefollowing reflection:
“We continue to remember the pain and grief of those whose loved ones have died or beeninjured in the criminal terrorist attacks whichhave taken place in London. Our prayers are with them. All our faith communities havecondemned unequivocally the attacks and havestood together in solidarity with one another in recent days.Vigils, services of remembrance,and acts of witness in towns and cities across the UK have born witness to a powerful desire to remember the dead and injured and to opposethe violence used by the terrorists.
Bonds of respect and trust between people in Britain’s different communities have beenformed patiently and steadily over recent decades.These close relationships have become part ofthe fabric of our society at national, local and
neighbourhood level. We can now see howstrongly this fabric has been woven. It is resistingthe attempts of those who wish to tear oursociety apart.
The Muslim community has condemned theterrorists for their criminal acts and for the twistedinterpretation of Islam which they have used tosupport these.We welcome the widespread publicrecognition that this evil ideology is far removedfrom the character of the faith held by the vastmajority of Muslims in this country.We expressour solidarity with Muslim organisations andindividuals as they work to tackle the challengeswhich face them.
From time to time, in the course of history, faithtraditions have been betrayed and perverted bysome who claim – wrongly – to be their genuinefollowers. Hatred and violence have often been the bitter harvest.
The fruits of true faith are the pursuit of justice, wisdom and peace and acts of care and compassion.When we celebrated the newMillennium some five years ago, representatives of the UK’s different faith communities cametogether to express their commitment to worktogether with one another, based on these valueswe hold in common.
Now, more than ever, we need to redouble our efforts to build, together, a society wherethere is mutual respect, cooperation for thecommon good and commitment to a shared and positive future.”
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Faith and the
public agenda
Discussion and cooperation between people ofdifferent faiths are cornerstones of a mutuallyrespectful coexistence. Good inter faith relationscan, however, only really flourish when people ofdifferent religious backgrounds feel safe, secureand valued as members of a just society andwhere account is taken of their needs and theircontribution is appreciated and actively sought.
Legislation and the development of Governmentpolicy and its implementation are highly significantfactors in contributing to creating an inclusivemulti faith society. For this reason an importantpart of the Network’s work is to keep its memberbodies in touch with developments on thesefronts and to help facilitate discussion on thembetween different faith communities and betweenfaith communities and central and localGovernment.The Network’s Faith CommunitiesConsultative Forum is an increasingly importantchannel for faith community representatives totalk together about issues of common concern,particularly those in the public arena.
The Network is an independent non-governmental organisation but values its closeworking relationships with the Home Office,the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and
other Government Departments, as well as withother public bodies such as the Commission for Racial Equality and the Local GovernmentAssociation. In January 2005 the FaithCommunities Unit of the Home Office wasmerged with its Community Cohesion Unit to form a joint Cohesion and Faiths Unit. TheNetwork has been in regular contact with thisnew combined Unit on a range of issues. TheNetwork’s Director also attends the meetings of the Inner Cities Religious Council in theOffice of the Deputy Prime Minister.
Working Together: Cooperation between
Government and Faith Communities
Last year’s Annual Review referred to the HomeOffice report Working Together: Cooperation Between Faith Communities and Government and to the reviewof which its recommendations were the fruit.This review, in which the Network was involved,had looked at arrangements for consultation bycentral Government of faith communities.
A meeting in July 2005 took stock ofdevelopments since the report was published in February 2004. It found that a number ofGovernment Departments are now making morestructured arrangements for consultation withfaith communities. A further meeting is plannedfor this autumn. An inter-departmental committeeof officials, chaired by the Home Office, nowhelps to keep these arrangements under review.
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Inter faith relations and
community cohesion
Across the last three years, the Network hasworked closely with a number of bodies on thecommunity cohesion agenda.This has includedpartnership work with the Local GovernmentAssociation (LGA) on Faith and Community,published in 2002 by the Local GovernmentAssociation in association with the Inner CitiesReligious Council of the Office of the DeputyPrime Minister, the Active Community Unit ofthe Home Office and the Inter Faith Networkand on Guidance on Community Cohesion published in2002 by the Local Government Association inassociation with the Office of the Deputy PrimeMinister, the Home Office, the Commission forRacial Equality and the Inter Faith Network.
In November 2004, the LGA published CommunityCohesion:An Action Guide. This builds on the 2002guidance on community cohesion, outlining theprinciples underlying community cohesion andgiving local authorities practical advice abouthow to build and strengthen cohesivecommunities in their area. It includesdescriptions of the application of communitycohesion in key policy areas, including workingwith faith communities, and includes casestudies drawn from different local authority andother contexts. The Network office wasrepresented on the drafting group for theguidance and the Network was one of the LGA’spartners in its publication, alongside the Audit
Commission, Commission for Racial Equality,Home Office, Improvement and DevelopmentAgency and Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.
The Network has also worked closely with these bodies on a number of other initiativesrelated to this topic during the year as well ascontributing to the CRE’s July conference on an ‘integrated Britain’.
Past discussions between the Local GovernmentAssociation and the Network office on thedevelopment of local inter faith structures in thiscountry were reflected in the material tabled bythe Local Government Association for discussionat meetings under the auspices of the EuropeanCongress of Local and Regional Authorities. At itsplenary session this spring the Congress adopteda Resolution and a Recommendation on‘Intercultural and Interfaith Dialogue: Initiativesand Responsibilities of Local Authorities’.Thetabled report contained an annex reviewing interfaith activity in the UK and the support given tothis by central and local government here andrecommended a variety of initiatives rangingfrom efforts to combat exclusion throughteaching of tolerance and respect to young peopleto the setting up of local inter faith councils.
In October, a detailed response was made onbehalf of the Network’s Executive Committee tothe Government’s consultation document Strengthin Diversity:Towards a Community Cohesion and RaceEquality Strategy which had been issued in May.
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The Government published Improving Opportunity,Strengthening Society in January as its response to the consultation. However, this did not address in any detail the contribution which inter faithactivity is making, at both national and locallevel, to the community cohesion process (onwhich topic most of the Network’s commentshad focused).The Home Office subsequentlyagreed to a suggestion from the Network officefor a review of inter faith relations strategy inconsultation with the Network, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, the Department for Education and Skills, the Local GovernmentAssociation and the Commission for RacialEquality.This has now begun.
A new Commission for Equality
and Human Rights
In March the Government introduced intoParliament its Equality Bill, which wasreintroduced following the General Election.TheBill reflects the outcome of consultations acrossthe last two years on proposals for a newCommission for Equality and Human Rights(CEHR).The Network office has been activelyinvolved in these and has been represented inconsultation meetings on the plans for the CEHRarranged by the Department of Trade andIndustry. It also participates in the Equality andDiversity Forum, which brings together a widerange of organisations with an interest inequality, discrimination and human rights issues;and in a new grouping (which the Network
helped establish) now named the ‘Religion andBelief Consultative Group on Equality, Diversityand Human Rights’, which provides a jointframework for faith community and “belief”organisations to keep in touch with developmentsand discuss them with one another.
The planned CEHR will bring together the work of the Commission for Racial Equality,the Disability Rights Commission and the Equal Opportunities Commission and haveresponsibility for the new ‘equality’ strands ofage, religion and belief and sexual orientationas well as work on promoting human rights.‘Equality/discrimination’, ‘human rights’ and‘good relations’ (including good ‘inter faith’relations) will be the three key ‘pillars’ of theCEHR’s work.
The Equality Bill requires the Commission togive particular attention in its work on ‘goodrelations’ to issues relating to race andreligion/belief. The way in which the newCommission tackles this aspect of its responsibilitieswill clearly affect the future role of the Networkand it is hoped that there will be more detaileddiscussion of this in the coming months.
The present intention is that the new Commissionwill be established in the autumn of 2007,covering all areas except those for which theCommission for Racial Equality is responsible,which it is planned would transfer to the newCommission by the spring of 2009.
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Further legislation on religious
discrimination
Last year’s Review mentioned the coming intoforce of the Employment Equality (Religion orBelief) Regulations in December 2003.Theseimplement, in relation to religion or belief,the 2000 European Directive dealing withdiscrimination in the work place on groundsincluding religion or belief. It noted that forsome time the Network has had on its agenda the case for new legislation to give more generalprotection against religious discrimination andthat, as it went to press, the Government hadannounced that it planned to introduce legislationon discrimination in relation to the provision ofgoods, services and premises on the grounds ofreligion or belief. Provisions to give effect to thiscommitment have been included in the EqualityBill setting up the new Commission for Equalityand Human Rights.The Network office has beeninvolved in consultative meetings on thesearranged by the Home Office.
In parallel with the introduction of the EqualityBill, the Government has set up two reviews,one to investigate the causes of persistentdiscrimination and inequality in British societyand one to develop proposals for a Single EqualityAct which the Government hopes will be enactedduring the lifetime of this Parliament.
Incitement to religious hatred
Last year’s Review noted discussion on the casefor legislation to prohibit incitement to religioushatred. At the end of 2003 the Governmentintroduced into Parliament a more general Billwhich contained provisions on incitement toreligious hatred but these were dropped to secureits enactment before the General Election in May.Following the election, a Bill including only theincitement to religious hatred provisions wasintroduced into the House of Commons.
At a meeting of the Network’s Faith CommunitiesConsultative Forum on 16 December there wasgeneral support for a proposal that a jointstatement should be made by faith communityrepresentatives supporting the Government’slegislation on this issue.This was on the basisthat the statement would be an ad hoc one,since the Forum itself is precluded by its ownterms of reference from issuing policy statementsof its own. However, the discussion at the Forummeeting paved the way for this statement and theNetwork office subsequently helped on aspectsof its preparation and launch.
Safe Communities Initiative
The Network office has continued to participatein the work of the Commission for RacialEquality’s Steering Group for the SafeCommunities Initiative.
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Information and advice
Enquiries
The Network office provides information andadvice to a wide range of organisations andindividuals.The table below shows a breakdown ofthe types of enquiries received over the past year:
Individuals 28%
Faith groups 11%
Schools, colleges and universities 11%
Inter faith bodies 10%
Other voluntary organisations 9%
Central Government 8%
Local Government 7%
Media 7%
Other public bodies 5%
Commercial organisations 4%
For some types of enquirers, such as companiesand employees, the Network’s role is to helpmake them aware of relevant sources of guidancesuch as ACAS guidelines or the Shap calendar ofreligious festivals. In others, such as assisting themedia or central Government, it helps enquirersin making contact with the relevant faith or interfaith bodies. On enquiries from national,regional and local inter faith bodies or frompeople wishing to develop these, the Network’sassistance may be ongoing over a long period.This year a total of 590 enquiries were logged.
Some examples of this year’s enquiries:
“My organisation is considering developing a multi faith prayer space. Are there particularissues which we should bear in mind inplanning this?”Enquirer from a bank in the City of London
“We are planning an inter faith event on sharedvalues for Islam Awareness Week. Could yousuggest possible speakers.”Muslim enquirer,West Midlands
“Our new Chief Executive is interested indeveloping the work of the Council with faith communities. Could you give me somebackground about how other local authoritiesare approaching this?”Local authority in Greater London
“Can you give us information about resourceswe can use to develop training about the needsof women of different faiths?”A women’s refuge, North West of England
“I am a sixth former wanting to set up an interfaith group at my school. How do I go aboutthis to make sure it works well?”Sixth form student, South East of England
“My daughter is doing a project on Jainism.Are there organisations who can help her with information?”Individual enquirer, Middlesex
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“We are publishing a book on RE in the contextof the new national non-statutory frameworkfor RE and will be including a section on interfaith issues. Can you give us some examples ofinter faith projects which we could use in this?”Educational publisher
“Could you give me contact details for inter faith bodies in the Newport and Cardiff areas?”Radio station in Wales
“We are developing a constitution for ourorganisation. Could you tell me how othercomparable local inter faith bodies havehandled the issue of ‘representation’ of faith communities in their constitutions?”Local inter faith group in Yorkshire and Humber
“I am an advisory teacher for RE. We are working with SACRE next year on inter faithevents/projects for local schools. Can you offerany advice on this?”Individual enquirer from the South West of England
Network web site
The Network’s web site at www.interfaith.org.ukprovides information about the work of theNetwork and its publications. The site currentlyreceives around 2,500 visits each month.
The site allows the downloading of some of theNetwork’s publications as well as providing linksto the internet pages of member bodies and ofother projects with which the Network has beeninvolved. It also gives email contact details forlocal inter faith bodies around the UK.
Past Network staff member Bhupinder Singhcontinues to help with the site, for which a newlocal inter faith ‘zone’ is being developed (seepage 4).
Newsletter
The Network’s newsletter, Inter Faith Update, ispublished three times a year and is distributed to member bodies, subscribers, supporters of the Network, media religious affairs contacts and selected Government and other contacts.
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Network membership
New member bodies
At the Network’s Annual General Meeting, held in Coventry on 27 June, eight organisations wereaccepted into membership:
● Hindu Forum of Britain● Minorities of Europe Inter Faith
Action Programme● Altrincham Inter Faith Group● Coventry Multi Faith Forum● Hounslow Friends of Faith● Newham Faith Sector Forum (in place
of previous member body Newham Inter Faith Association)
● Telford and Wrekin Interfaith Group● Warrington Council of Faiths.
This brings the total number of Network memberbodies at the present time to 111.
Membership review
A review of patterns of Network membership is planned across the coming year.This will lookat issues such as whether the current types ofmembership category remain appropriate andwhether the pattern of bodies in membershipreflects adequately the situation in the UK.
Trustees
At the AGM, Rt Rev Dr Tom Butler and JagjiwanSingh were re-elected as Co-Chairs, and DrManazir Ahsan as a Vice-Chair, for the comingyear. Hon Barnabas Leith and Dr V P Narayan Raowere elected as a Vice-Chairs in succession toJehangir Sarosh and Om Parkash Sharma. NevilleNagler was elected as Vice-Chair in succession toRosalind Preston.
Others who stood down from the ExecutiveCommittee included Archbishop Kevin McDonaldand Abdul Rauf Mirza, as well as Sister IsabelSmyth who had served on the Committee since1997. Ann Noonan, Gul Muhammad and PramilaKaur were elected in their place.Ven TawalamaBandula (replacing Ven Pandit Wilamajothi), RevDaniel Otieno-Ndale (filling the vacancy left lastyear by Rev Simon Reynolds) and Rev GuyWilkinson (replacing Ven Michael Ipgrave, whoresigned as a Committee member following hisappointment as Archdeacon of Southwark) were all co-opted to the Committee in the course of2004-05.They were elected at the AGM to serve on the Committee for the coming year, along with Dina Gold who filled the place left vacant by Rosalind Preston. All who stood down werethanked for the important contribution which they had made.
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Trustees
2005–06
Executive Committee
Members 2005-06
Co-ChairsRt Revd Dr Tom ButlerMr Jagjiwan Singh
Vice-ChairsDr Manazir Ahsan MBEHon Barnabas LeithMr Neville NaglerDr V P Narayan Rao
TreasurerMr Ramesh Shah
Other Executive Committee membersDr Fatma AmerVen Tawalama BandulaMs Dina GoldDr Elizabeth HarrisMr Phil HenryMs Pramila KaurMr Ayub LaherMr Shabbir LakhaMr Gul MuhammadMrs Ravinder Kaur NijjarMrs Ann NoonanMrs Regina O’CallaghanRev Daniel Otieno-Ndale
Mr Nitin PalanRabbi Alan PlanceyDr Nawal K PrinjaImam Dr Abduljalil SajidMr Resham Singh Sandhu MBEMr Jehangir SaroshJanet ScottMr Alan SchwartzDr Natubhai K Shah Ms Priti ShahMr Om Parkash Sharma MBESr Margaret Shepherd Dr Indarjit Singh OBERabbi Jacqueline TabickRev Guy Wilkinson
28 the inter faith network for the uk
Hannah Mercer and Gaylina Nguyen preparing for the
National Meeting
Staff
Over the past year, Brian Pearce has continued to serve as the Network’s Director and HarrietCrabtree as its Deputy Director. At the beginningof 2005 Gaylina Nguyen moved from beingpart-time clerical assistant to become full timeFinance and Administration Assistant. HannahMercer, from the ProspectUs employmentagency, has worked for the Network during theyear as its Secretary/ Administrator with KatieKeady from ProspectusUs offering additionalassistance at busy points during the year.
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annual review 29
In November, Bhupinder Singh left the Network to return to help run his family’s hotel business.He had worked for the Network since 1998 as itsInformation Officer. A presentation was made tohim by the Executive Committee at is meeting inOctober and he returned to assist on the Network’sNational Meeting in Coventry in June wheremembers had a chance to thank him for his workfor the Network It is not, however, completely acase of goodbye! Bhupinder has been workingwith the Network this spring and summer on thedevelopment of its website (see page 5).
Henny Rolan, who worked as a student clericalassistant for the Network from 2000 to 2002returned from Indonesia this year to do amaster’s degree and offered very welcomeassistance to the office during the summer. AnneBreivik has been appointed to a temporary postof ‘Faith and Citizenship Project Officer’ to carryout a survey of resources, particularly for youngpeople, in this important area. Her last job was atthe Citizenship Foundation.
Bhupinder Singh with Committee member Dr Fatma Amer
Thank you to
Rosalind Preston
Rosalind Preston stepped down at the AGM notonly as a Vice-Chair, but also from membership of the Executive Committee, on which she hadserved from 1993. During this time she servedonce as a Co-Chair and twice as a Vice-Chair.In these capacities, she oversaw at a number of points the work of the General PurposesSubcommittee.
A presentation was by Bishop Tom Butler and Jagjiwan Singh to Mrs Preston on behalf of all the members of the Network to mark her tremendous contribution to the life of theNetwork and to inter faith relations in the UKover these years.
Bishop Tom Butler making presentation to Rosalind Preston
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Statement of Financial Activities(Incorporating an Income and Expenditure Account)
For the year ended 31 December 2004
Total Total
Restricted Unrestricted 2004 2003
£ £ £ £
Incoming Resources
Donations, Legacies and similar income 55,300 205,944 261,244 228,847
Operating Activities in the furtherance of
the charitable objects – 9,372 9,372 8,311
Investment Income – 3,142 3,142 2,516
Total Incoming Resources 55,300 218,458 273,758 239,674
Resources Expended
Cost of generating Funds – 10,271 10,271 7,711
Charitable Activities
Consultation, Information and Advice – 108,821 108,821 109,127
Meetings and Conferences – 31,601 31,601 23,981
Research – 7,715 7,715 38,145
Publications 23,902 22,104 46,006 40,576
Support 24,618 – 24,618
Management and Administration – 16,906 16,906 15,347
48,520 187,147 235,667 227,176
Total Resources Expended 48,520 197,418 245,938 234,887
Net Incoming Resources For the Year 6,780 21,040 27,820 4,787
Funds at 1 January 2004 10,180 42,663 52,843 48,056
Funds at 31 December 2004 16,960 63,703 80,663 52,843
All the charitable company’s operations are classed as continuing. Movements in reserves and allrecognised gains and losses are shown above.
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Balance Sheet
As at 31 December 2004
2004 2003
£ £ £
Tangible Fixed Assets 21,490 6,066
Current Assets
Debtors and prepayments 34,879 12,780
Cash at Bank and in Hand 39,498 41,334
74,377 54,114
Creditors: amounts due within one year 15,204 7,337
Net Current Assets 59,173 46,777
Net Assets 80,663 52,843
Funds
Restricted Funds 16,960 10,180
Unrestricted Funds 63,703 42,663
Total Funds 80,663 52,843
These Financial Statements were approved by the Executive Committee on7 June 2005 and signed on their behalf by Mr Ramesh Shah,Treasurer.
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Supporters in 2004
The Inter Faith Network’s programme ofbuilding good relations between the differentfaith communities in the UK is funded throughgrants and donations from trusts, organisationsand individuals supportive of its work, includingits member faith communities, as well asthrough the subscription fees of its memberbodies.The Network also received a grant fromthe Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and iscurrently receiving a Home Office strategy grant.
The Trustees of the Network thank most warmly allthose who have given financial support to its workduring the calendar year 2004 and also those whohave given the gift of time to help work for goodrelations between the faiths in the UK.
Government Funding
Home OfficeOffice of the Deputy Prime Minister
Trusts, Foundations and Companies
Allen Lane FoundationAlma Royalton Kisch TrustArdwick TrustHugo Gryn Memorial TrustICIC FoundationMercers’ CompanyNational Youth Agency
Swan HellenicTimeBankWest London Synagogue Charitable FundWestminster Foundation
Faith Community Organisations
The Network’s member faith communitiesprovide funding towards the Network’s budgeton a structured basis, with contributions varyingin amount with some reference to the relativesizes of the different communities. The sourcesof contributions received in 2004 have variedfrom community to community. In some casesthese have included donations from individuals,who are included in the lists of that category of donor.
During 2004 donations were received on behalfof member faith communities from the followingorganisations and trusts:
Baha’i Community in the UKBoard of Deputies of British JewsChurch of EnglandCommunity of Buddhist ContemplativesCommunity Security TrustInstitute of JainologyJain Samaj EuropeJamyang Buddhist CentreLiberal JudaismLondon Buddhist CentreMahavir TrustMayfair Islamic Centre
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Methodist Racial Justice Projects FundMovement for Reform JudaismMuslim Council of BritainNational Council of Hindu TemplesNetwork of Engaged Buddhists Network of Sikh Organisations (UK)New Kadampa TraditionSikh community in ScotlandSwaminarayan Hindu MissionTelford Buddhist PrioryThai - British Buddhist (Buddhavihara) TempleUnited Reformed ChurchUnited SynagogueUnited Jewish Israel AppealWestern Ch’an Fellowship
Individual Donors(including donations from a number ofindividuals as part of structured faith community funding)
Mr Basheer AhmadMr Anil BhanotHis Honour Jonathan CrabtreeMr Tom GulliverMrs Ravinder Kaur NijjarMiss Beryl PearceMs Clare SaltersMost Ven Dr Medagama Vajiragnana
We would also like to thank:
Mrs Lorna BarbourDr Richard BoekeSir Jack Stewart-ClarkMr John DorrellEileen ForresterMs Dina GoldMrs Sheila HayesProfessor John HickDr Raheem KhanDr Dermot KillinglyMr Mark LittlewoodMrs Jenny NicholsonMary PimmMr David and Mrs Jean PotterMrs L ProbertMr Wilfred G RichardsonMr Geoff RobsonMrs Joy SabourMr Rashid SiddiquiMrs Celia Jane SmithSt Thomas’ Church, HuddersfieldMr David StevensJoe UptonDr Stephen VickersRt Rev Roy WilliamsonWest Somerset Inter Faith Group
…..And others who also kindly gave donations,but prefer not to be listed.
R
U
Faith Community Representative BodiesArya Pratinidhi Sabha (UK)Baha’i Community of the United KingdomBoard of Deputies of British JewsBuddhist SocietyChurches Agency for Inter Faith Relations
in ScotlandChurches’ Commission for Inter-Faith Relations (Churches Together in Britain
and Ireland)Council of African and Afro-Caribbean
Churches (UK)Friends of the Western Buddhist OrderHindu Council (UK)Hindu Forum of BritainImams and Mosques Council (UK)Islamic Cultural Centre, Regents Park, LondonJain Samaj EuropeJamiat-e-Ulama Britain (Association of
Muslim Scholars)Muslim Council of Britain National Council of Hindu TemplesNetwork of Buddhist Organisations (UK)Network of Sikh Organisations (UK)Quaker Committee for Christian and
Interfaith RelationsRoman Catholic Committee for Other Faiths,
Bishops’ Conference of England and WalesSri Lankan Sangha Sabha of GBSwaminarayan Hindu Mission Unitarian and Free Christian Churches
Interfaith SubcommitteeVishwa Hindu Parishad (UK)World Ahlul-Bayt Islamic LeagueWorld Islamic Mission (UK)Zoroastrian Trust Funds of Europe
Inter Faith OrganisationsNorthern Ireland Inter Faith ForumScottish Inter Faith CouncilInter Faith Council for Wales/Cyngor
Cyd-Ffydd CymruAlif Aleph UKChristians Aware Interfaith ProgrammeCouncil of Christians and Jews
Interfaith FoundationInternational Association for Religious
Freedom (British Chapter)International Interfaith CentreLondon Society of Jews and ChristiansMaimonides FoundationMinorities of Europe Inter Faith
Action Programme Religions for Peace (UK Chapter)Three Faiths ForumUnited Religions Initiative (Britain
and Ireland)Westminster InterfaithWorld Congress of Faiths
Local Inter Faith GroupsAltrincham Inter Faith GroupBedford Council of FaithsBirmingham Council of FaithsBlackburn with Darwen Interfaith CouncilBolton Interfaith CouncilBradford Concord Interfaith SocietyBrent Inter FaithBrighton and Hove Inter-Faith Contact GroupBristol Inter Faith GroupBurnley Building BridgesCambridge Inter-Faith GroupCanterbury and District Inter Faith ActionCardiff Interfaith AssociationCleveland Interfaith GroupCoventry Inter Faith GroupCoventry Multi Faith ForumDerby Open Centre Multi-Faith GroupDudley Borough Interfaith NetworkGateshead Inter Faith ForumGloucestershire Inter Faith ActionHarrow Inter Faith CouncilHounslow Friends of FaithHuddersfield Interfaith CouncilLancashire Forum of FaithsLeeds Concord Interfaith FellowshipLeeds Faith Communities Liaison ForumLeicester Council of FaithsLoughborough Council of FaithsLuton Council of Faiths
Manchester Interfaith ForumMedway Inter Faith ActionMerseyside Council of FaithsInterfaith MK (Milton Keynes)Nelson and Brierfield Building BridgesNewcastle Council of FaithsNewham Faith Sector Forum North Kirklees Inter-Faith CouncilNorth Staffordshire Forum of FaithsNorthampton Faiths ForumNottingham Inter Faith CouncilOldham Inter Faith ForumOxford Round Table of ReligionsPeterborough Inter-Faith CouncilReading Inter-Faith GroupRedbridge Council of FaithsRochdale Multifaith PartnershipSheffield InterfaithSouth London Inter Faith GroupSouthampton Council of FaithsSuffolk Inter-Faith ResourceTelford and Wrekin Interfaith GroupWarrington Council of FaithsWatford Inter Faith AssociationWellingborough Multi-Faith GroupWhalley Range (Manchester) Inter Faith GroupWolverhampton Inter-Faith GroupWycombe Sharing of Faiths
Educational and Academic BodiesCentre for the Study of Jewish-Christian
RelationsCentre for the Study of Islam and
Christian-Muslim RelationsCommunity Religions Project,
University of LeedsInstitute of JainologyIslamic FoundationMulti-Faith Centre at the University of DerbyNational Association of SACRE’sReligious Education Council for England
and WalesShap Working Party on World Religions
in EducationSion Centre for Dialogue and Encounter
Inter Faith Network for the UKMember Organisations 2005–06
CCo-operat
CGood RelationsCo-operation
Good Relations
RespectRespect
Understanding
Faith
UnderstCommunities
FaithRespect
The Network is a registered charity No. 1068934 and a company
limited by guarantee No. 3443823 registered in England.
The Inter Faith Network for the UK8A Lower Grosvenor Place London SW1W 0EN Tel: 020 7931 7766 Fax: 020 7931 7722Email: [email protected] Web: www.interfaith.org.uk